AS club rugby returned Newcastle Emlyn made an inauspicious start in the Championship when defeated at home by the students of Cardiff Met but there was better fortune for Crymych who got off on the right foot with a narrow win over visitors Waunarlwydd in League 1 West.

Meanwhile Cardigan started with a bang in League 3 West A by demolishing St Davids at King George V Playing Field.

Emlyn will have to address a number of issues in training before visiting Glamorgan Wanderers this weekend, not least of which is likely to be the back play which was littered with errors against the students.

It has to be said that the Red and Whites were without a number of regulars and with a full complement of personnel could show significant improvement.

The students went ahead with a try in the opening quarter, the move leading to the score stemming from a lineout on halfway.

The ball was whipped out to strong-running centre Miles Moorhouse who brushed through two tackles before sending co-centre Robbie Smith over for an unconverted try wide out.

Although rarely seen as an attacking threat during the early stages the Teifisiders opened their account from their first meaningful raid.

No. 8 Luke Kendall forced his way over for a try near the posts and former Whitland outside half Nico Setaro converted to nudge his side ahead.

The visitors were dealt a blow just before the interval when fly-half Alex Seers was forced out of the action through injury. But despite the loss of the playmaker the students got a second try before the oranges when lock James Little went over in the corner for a score that went unconverted.

Emlyn flanker Brynmor Jones was sin-binned for a scrummaging offence in the second period and while he was absent the Met got a third try through lock Alex Dombrandt and Moorhouse converted with a superb kick from the touchline.

Setaro gave Emlyn hope with a straightforward penalty and although his opposite number cancelled out the score the home outside half was successful with another kick near the end that gave Emlyn a losing bonus point.

Crymych faced a tough League 1 West opener against last season's promotion challengers Waunarlwydd at Parc Lloyd Thomas but the north

Pembrokeshire villagers prevailed 9-8.

The Preselimen led 6-3 at the interval and facing the elements during the second period they performed heroically in defence to repel the

visitors' frequent raids.

Scrum-half Rhys Davies landed two first half penalties for the homesters and Waun replied with a try by flanker Rhys Slattery.

It appeared as if the visitors would turn territorial advantage into points but with backs Dylan Thomas, Rhys Davies and Tom Phillips talking as if their lives depended on the result and their team-mates also doing their bit Crymych held out.

Centre Lee Evans landed a penalty to put Waun ahead but Rhys Davies replied with his third successful kick to earn his side a deserved victory.

Cardigan didn't have to move out of second gear in whipping St Davids 66-12 in League 3 West A and on the evidence of their first encounter the Cardis could be one of the front-runners in the title race.

After a spell with Narberth of the Championship and on dual registration with Crymych, 20-year-old scrum-half Luke Rogers has returned in order to get more game time and marked his first game with two tries.

Centre Marcus Castle led the way for the rampant homesters with a try hat-trick and other scores came via flanker Kieran Hurley, fullback Alun Jenkins, flanker Colin Davies and Dean Harries with the remainder of the points coming from the boots of Rogers and outside half Llyr Jones.

Visiting centres Fraser Watson and Anton Mathews got a try apiece for the outplayed Saints.